Denon AVR-4802R


've had this receiver for years and have had the multi-zone working with no problem. Now I'm trying to do something slightly different and it is not working and I could use some help. I have a couple of devices that have to plug directly into the TV first but I want the audio to go through the Denon. The first device was my MacBook Air and I was lazy and just used the speakers on the TV instead of trying to make it go through the Denon. I just got a Chromecast and it also plugs first into the TV. Since I will use Pandora on the Chromecast, I would like to have the multi-zone capability working.

So I decided to use the optical output from the TV and jack it into the Denon and then associate that with V.AUX. Now I can watch the Chromecast output on the TV and get sound out of the main channel of the Denon but I am unable to get sound out of the multi-zone. I make sure that the input for both the main and the multi-zones is the same: V.AUX, and the multi-zone is turned on yet no sound comes out. If I try another setup (jack in my iPhone to the CD input) I can get output both on the main and multi zones so I know that the multi zones still work. Do I need to select a different input from V.AUX for some reason? Or is there something else I am missing? Thanks for any help or suggestions.
brucerpeterson
Thanks for your responses. That's a bummer since the only output from the TV is digital. So it doesn't look as if there's an easy solution. But thanks for trying to help.

Well, I believe I can overcome optical digital output only from the TV, however it will only work if your TV can be set to PCM and not Dolby Digital. This also prevents main room Dolby Digital, but a different surround is possible. Connect the TV's optical out as you previously described, then use another optical cable from digital out on the Denon to this inexpensive DAC, and analog from the DAC to a different input on the Denon as stated in my previous post. You could use a better DAC, but since this is multi zone, assuming remote speakers, it may not be necessary.
Yeah. I already thought of that. I see they range from under $10 to $40 or more. I may do that or just live with it the way it is. When I'm watching the MacBook I'm not likely to want to be using the multi zone. It's only when using the Chromecast and listening to music like Pandora that I might want the multi zone capability and I can already get Pandora by plugging in my iPhone so I'll probably just use it the way it is.